Tattoos and Promises
by AquaTurtle99
Summary: Short Percabeth story. I suck at summaries. Give it a read :) Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**Just a little short story. Adding the next chapter soon. **

**Enjoy! :)**

Percy hadn't been to camp in months. Ever since he and Annabeth had gone to college together in New Rome, it was harder to find time to come back to Camp Half Blood. Percy was glad to be home. They were wandering around the cabins when someone spoke from behind them.

"Percy! Annabeth!" yelled Will Solace.

He and Nico DiAngelo were striding up behind them, hand in hand. Nico had changed so much in the past few years, Percy almost didn't recognize him. His skin was tan; there were no dark rings under his eyes. His black hair was swept to the side and barely touched his eyebrows. He was muscular and tall. He wore a black tee shirt that with a band name Percy didn't know and dark jeans. Tattoo sleeves completely covered both of his arms, but most shocking of all, he was smiling. Annabeth hugged them both, and Percy clapped Nico on the shoulder. They sat down and had lunch together in the dining pavilion. Will told them all about their adventures in Greece and China; apparently they'd been traveling together. After a while, the sun began to set. Nico and Will said goodbye and disappeared into Nico's cabin.

"I want a tattoo." said Annabeth out of the blue.

Percy stared at her.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah. I've been thinking about it for a while, but after seeing Nico's tattoos, I think I really do want one." she said.

Percy paused.

"But...not a sleeve like Nico, right?" he asked.

Annabeth pushed his arm lightly

"Of course not." she said with a laugh.

Percy sighed with relief. Nico's tattoos were cool looking, but they still gave him the creeps.

"What would you want a tattoo of?" he asked.

Annabeth pulled out her phone and showed him a picture of the simple outline of an owl. She had been planning this in advance. Percy nodded.

"I like it." he said. "But you know what would be better?"

"What?" said Annabeth

Percy took her phone and Google translated his name into Greek. Annabeth laughed.

"Very funny." she said.

Percy chuckled and handed her the phone.

He had meant for it to be a joke, but suddenly he liked the idea. He could get her name in Greek tattooed on his shoulder.

"What would you think?" he asked.

Annabeth looked up from the owl pictures she was scrolling through.

"Think about what?" she asked.

"About me getting your name on my shoulder."

Annabeth smiled until she realized he wasn't joking.

"You're not serious, are you?" she asked.

Percy blinked.

"Uh-yeah. I think it would be cool. I could get it on the back of my shoulder." He said, pointing to where he wanted it.

Annabeth stared at him."You can't do that."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Haven't you seen those awful pictures?" She said with a laugh. "People get their girlfriend or boyfriend's name as a tattoo and then they break up and they're stuck with it."

Percy felt like she'd impaled him with her dagger.

_'But we aren't just_ _'people'_. Percy wanted to say.

They'd been to hell and back together. _Literally._ How could she say something like that? Percy knew he shouldn't take offense; it was just Annabeth being her rational self, but something bothered him about the way she said it. As if it was obvious why he shouldn't get her name tattooed on his shoulder.

He usually wasn't one for over thinking things, but the next morning, it was still bothering him.

"Morning." Annabeth said, stretching.

Percy ignored her and rolled out of bed. Annabeth watched him put on his jeans and rummage through his drawer for a shirt.

"You okay?" She asked warily.

Suddenly, Percy was angry. She didn't even remember.

"Why should you care?" He spat.

Annabeth sat up and knit her eyebrows.

"Excuse me?" she said.

Percy slammed the drawer shut.

"Well if we're just going to break up eventually then why should you care about whether or not I'm 'okay'?"

Percy avoided her eyes, but he knew she was hurt.

"Who said anything about breaking up?" She asked.

"You did!" Percy said bitterly. "And you don't even remember."

Annabeth looked bewildered until she remembered.

"Is this about the tattoo thing?" She asked. "Seriously?"

Percy finally looked at her.

"Yes _seriously_." He said. She jumped to her feet.

"You're being unreasonable!" she yelled. Now she was angry too. "You know I didn't mean it that way!"

"Really?" said Percy. "Then how did you mean it?"

"I meant that we're still teenagers, Percy."

Her voice softened. "Something could happen."

Percy shook his head and threw up his hands in surrender.

"Whatever. Just forget it." He spat.

"Fine!"

"Fine."

Annabeth stormed out of their cabin, still wearing her pajama pants.

**Hope you liked it! Next chapter coming soon. Reviews make me happy :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Percy felt like punching something.

After all the years they'd spent together, Annabeth just casually mentions the possibility of them breaking up like it's nothing. Percy kicked the wall of his cabin. He had jumped into Tartarus for her for the gods' sakes. He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. Maybe it wasn't her; maybe it was him. Maybe he was just more attached to Annabeth than she was to him. He shook the idea out of his mind.

'No, Annabeth loves me.' He thought. 'Right?'

Percy found an old Camp tee-shirt and slipped it on. He headed out of his cabin, to the dining pavilion. He glanced at the Athena table, but Annabeth wasn't there. There was only one other place Annabeth would be to let off steam. Percy made his way down to the sparring area. Sure enough, there she was, hacking away at a dummy like it just killed her grandmother. She didn't look very fearsome in her fuzzy green pajama pants, but the look in her eyes was murderous. Percy came to a halt a few feet away from her. She didn't stop to look at him.

"What-do-you-want?" She asked between blows to the dummy's head.

"I want to talk." said Percy.

Annabeth stopped and shot him a look.

"I don't really feel like talking." she said.

Percy watched her strike at the dummy for a moment. He uncapped Riptide and spun his sword around in his hand.

"Well let's go then." he said. She raised a warning eyebrow.

"C'mon." He said. "I know you want to."

A smile tugged at Annabeth's lips. She swung her sword so suddenly, Percy was almost decapitated. He blocked her blow at the last second, and counterattacked with a swipe to side. Annabeth blocked him.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out.

Annabeth swung her sword down. Percy side stepped before she cut him in half.

"I am too." She said.

They both lowered their swords. Annabeth ran a hand through her frizzy hair.

"I didn't mean to upset you-" she started

"It's okay." He interrupted. Even though it wasn't okay.

Annabeth stared at him sadly. "You did know what I meant, right?" she asked.

Percy paused.

Annabeth sighed. "When I said 'We're still teenagers,' and 'Something could happen' I meant.." Her voice grew quiet.

"I meant if I ever died, I wouldn't want you to have a glaring reminder of me. I would want you to move on." She said quietly.

Suddenly, it all made sense. Percy was so relieved, he felt like crying. Annabeth was trying to protect him in all of this. He felt like a jerk. How had he not seen that? Percy dropped his sword and threw his arms around her. She squeezed him tightly.

"You didn't think I meant-" Annabeth started. She pulled back to look him in the eyes.

"Did you think I told you not to get the tattoo just in case we ever broke up?"

Percy smiled sheepishly. Annabeth rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm.

"You're such a Seaweed Brain." She said.

Percy laughed.

"Yeah. I know."

The next day, Percy drove Annabeth to the tattoo parlor. As they sat in the waiting area, her leg bounced up and down. Percy took her hand.

"Are you nervous?" He asked.

Annabeth shook her head. "Of course not." she said.

"If I can survive Tartarus, I can survive this." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than Percy.

A very tattooed woman called Annabeth's name and led them into room with a large chair. Annabeth sat down, biting her lip. The woman started cleaning her tattoo supplies.

"So," she said. "What would you like, and where?"

Annabeth showed the woman a picture on her phone then pointed to her wrist. The woman nodded and popped her gum.

"Alright sweetie," She smiled. "Just relax, and put your arm up here."

Annabeth put her arm facing up on the arm rest.

The woman drew an outline of something on a piece of paper, then put it on Annabeth's skin. She peeled the paper off to reveal a small trident. Percy furrowed his eyebrows.

"But you said-"

"Oh shush." She cut him off and smiled.

Percy smiled back. He held her hand as the woman tattooed Annabeth. A few minutes later, it was finished. Annabeth smiled at her new tattoo.

"What do you think?" She asked Percy.

Percy smiled and looked at the woman. "I think I'll get that owl."

As they walked back to the car, both with bandaged wrists, Percy spoke.

"So what made you change your mind?"

Annabeth looked at him with a small smile.

"Remember in Tartarus when you promised me we'd make it out and we did?"

Percy nodded.

"Promise me you'll never leave me." She said.

Percy knew what she meant. Promise not to die before she does. He knew it was an impossible promise, but then again, so was the promise to make it out of Tartarus.

"I promise." He said.

Annabeth smiled, and he kissed her.

**Hope you enjoyed it :3 **


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